News

Seattle - Already approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,the FDA granted approval that extends etanercept's (Enbrel) use to the treatmentof psoriatic arthritis for the one million American sufferers.

Chicago - A new acne drug under development shows promise of efficacyand does not produce resistance in bacteria that causes the condition. Thenews comes at a time when the bacterium P. acnes demonstrated resistanceto traditional treatment antibiotics tetracycline and erythromycin.

Handful of agents promising for melanoma, AK, eczema, psoriasis

Dundee, Scotland - A disease that was once officially declaredfree from "the world and its peoples" by the World Health Assemblyin 1980, endemic smallpox may now be lurking in the shadows by way of bioterrorism.

Being critical of existing therapies, willing to embrace new approachesequals success

Baltimore - Phase II study results point to the potential roleof HspE7 as a safe and effective immunotherapeutic agent for the treatmentof genital warts and other HPV-related sexually transmitted diseases, KeertiV. Shah, M.D., said.

Cause of problems categorized seven ways; lack of nutrition, drug usageoften cited

Deerfield, Ill. - The efficacy and safety of certain drugs maybe different in women compared with men because of gender-related differencesin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, M. Joyce Rico, M.D., said.

São Paulo, Brazil - Contrary to foregoing reports of significantside effects and high cost, Denise Steiner, M.D., Ph.D., contends that theanti-androgen drug flutamide 250 mg (Euflex, Euflexin) is a safe and effectivetherapy for treating female acne and androgenetic alopecia with an overallpositive relation of cost to benefit.

The treatment of warts can be a frustrating experience for both the dermatologistas well as the patient and/or patient's family. The provider needs to bewell versed in the many rules and regulations that govern the billing ofwarts (e.g., medical necessity issues, CPT and ICD-9 coding) while the patientneeds to be educated on the nature of the condition and the complexitiesassociated with the treatment arsenal.

Improvements in appearance possible with lasers; advise patients scarswill not be completely removed

Q. What is a 2-in-1 shampoo?A. Two-in-1 shampoo is a shampoo designed to cleanse and condition in one step. The original 2-in-1 shampoos neither conditioned well nor cleansed well, but the new varieties have taken advantage of modern silicone technology.

Misinformation, such as regulatory status of banks, shortages, problems with prions, ethics of tissue donation, need clarification

Novel treatment for complicated skin and skin structure infections offers once-a-day dosing, multiple methods of administration

Valacyclovir reduces number of recurrences, rate of recurrences, percentof recurrence free after one year

Dallas - Establishing protocols for performing dermatologic surgical procedures in pregnant patients is helpful for assuring the safety of both the mother and fetus

Chicago - One of the important tasks a dermatologist undertakes when assessing a cutaneous reaction to chemotherapy agents is to make sure the presenting condition is not caused by another drug or disorder, Claudia Hernandez, M.D., said.

New York - Once viewed primarily as a disease of homosexual men, HIV has shifted markedly, M. Joyce Rico, M.D. told attendees at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine's annual dermatology symposium.

Chicago - Daptomycin (Cidecin), a novel lipopeptide antibiotic, showed a trend toward an improved clinical response compared to current standard therapy in the treatment of complicated skin and soft tissue (cSST) infections caused by dual infection with

Israel doesn't have its usual allure as a travel destination right now, but under the shroud of war, lying placid and peaceful along the Jordanian border, is a dermatologic wonder: the Dead Sea.

San Francisco - Dermatopathologists from two U.S. universities and clinicians at a California renal transplant hospital have brought a new skin disease to the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Where the party never stopsHow can one even begin to explain the nightlife in a city that definesit! Well, of course, there is Bourbon Street, which doesn't need any explaining.Just take a peek down this famous thoroughfare and it won't take but a secondto see that the party is always here - during Mardi Gras or any other day.Even beyond Bourbon Street you can find other great bars, clubs, pubs, andlive music if you know where to look.

Sit back and enjoy the sightsNew Orleans has a slew of tour companies ready to guide you along theircity streets so you don't even have to look at a map:

New Orleans: The city that care forgotWith this year's annual meeting jam-packed with great sessions and courses,you'll probably find it hard to break away from the Convention Center. ButNew Orleans is a city of many flavors in terms of history, culture, music,and, of course, great food. It begs to be explored and sampled, and AmericanAcademy of Dermatology attendees who do so will be richly rewarded. Yourchallenge will be choosing from the many temptations this city offers.

Getting around the big easyGetting from here to there in an unfamiliar city can be a challenge.With the proper tools you can be cruising around the crescent city likea seasoned pro.

Lansing, Mich. - In a move to reduce drug expenditures for someMedicaid patients, Michigan has published a restricted formulary involving40 categories of illness, including two dermatology classes.

For the 85 percent of women who have some degree of cellulite, dimplesare far from darling. What to do?

Can a shampoo containing hydroxy acids help my dry scalp?

While there's still no cure for the herpes virus, cold sores are treatable.A new nonprescription medicine called Abreva can cut your healing time bytwo to three days and soothe the sore in the meantime. Another cream, Denavir,also can speed healing but is available only by prescription.

Q. Lately, I've noticed peach fuzz on my face. What's goingon?